Leveling device



Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

antennas A. vEL'rAG, or ivrinwnunnn, Wisconsin.

@rapine DEVIGE- Application tiled .May`12, 1922. Serial No. 560,426.

lost before 'it cpnie's to an absolute rest to I Itis therefore object of this inventpjn to 4provide' means 'for' checking thef,move'- men'tof the indicator' vi'vhe'r'eby` th'e' reading' 'thereof' is materially facilitated and furthermore' the indicator may be .heldfatany desii-ed position. i

A' further object of this .invention is `to yprovide" a ,devie'df the'nature described in which improved brake or check lmeans are employed lfor restraining movementof ,the indicator, such Acheck means being `normally inactive torpermit tree movement of the indicator or 4capableof instant operation to check the oscillation of the indicator.

A still further object of this invention resides in the provision of an accurately balanced indicator whereby an extremely sensitive instrument is obtained.

Tith the above and other objects in v ieW 'which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being' understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the vherein disclosed invention may be made as come Within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illust-rated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front View of one type of instrument illustrating my improved device as applied thereto;

. Figure 2 is a View taken transversely through the instrument on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, the indicator and the brake means being inv elevation; Y

Figure 3 is, an enlarged view partly in section' land `partly ,in"eievationtaken,onltlie plane of' line "SJ-SofFigure 2a`nd Figure 4 is a detail "view looking at the underside ofthe push button of. 'the'bralre member.,

'Ihe principles of this invention may be used in a great variety of .forms and for many purposes, and `referringnoiv more' particularly to the Adrfaiving itwill be 'seentliat the invention has @beeniillustrated in connection with a level' 5 including a' Stlelfitfflss or yfwjork engaging Vface. 6 adapted" for engaen nt vvith the `v`surface,-the ai-igleoffinc linc -niof which isk to be ascertained.

` ,Set 1n the. supporting means "or Ymember 5 is the indicating'device- Which consists of .la cylinder 7 having. a central ,bore each end of which is counterbored, as atf9. The ends ofV thecylinder "arewfclose'd by yrelatively heavy transparent glass discs 10 securedin channels 12 and slightly spaced froma centrail web 11 formed by thecounter bones39.

Centr-ally journaledl in A.bore ,8 is a pivot shaft`13, the ends 14 of vvhicli are journaled in apertures ofthe innerfaces Vofthediscs counterbcres Qare tvvo indicating members 15l connected together in true alignment by a counter-balance 16. The. counter-'balance 16 is so position-ed and located as to make the indicators responsive t0 the ,slightest movement of cylinder 7 and each side face of rib 11 is graduated in orde-r that the inclination of the indicator may be readily ascertained.

When my improved device vis employed With that type of tool illustrated in Figure 1, cylinder 7 is secured in an aperture 17 formed therein With the Zero designation 18 Ion the rib .11 in true vertical 'alignment with respect to the Work engaging face 6.

By reason of the extreme sensitiveness of the indicators, much time is 10st in Waiting for the indicators to come to rest after the tool has been placed on the surface to be measured and, in order to facilitate reading of the angle of inclination of the Work face, I employ brake means for checking the oscillation of the indicators. In this form of my invention the brake means consists of an arm or lever 19, the inner end of which is forked, as at 20, and arranged so that upon depression it Will engage pivot shaft l13 and check its tendency to rotate.

The upper end of lever mainte 19 is substantially i Y cured cross-shaped, ythe horizontal arms 21 of which normally abut the inner end of a removable sleeve 22 to limit upwardmovement thereof undervaction of a spring 23 confined within 24 of a cap secured to theouter end of lever 19 and a shoulder 25` formed at the inner end of the sleeve.

In equipping my device with the improved brake, tool '5 is bored, as at 26, and sleeve 22 secured thereinand when it is desired to remove the brake, cap 24 is depressed to permit the insertion. of a tO-ol (not shown) through slot 27 in the side of head 24 to engage in opening 28 in the side wall of the sleeve to facilitate its removal or adjustment to properly align the forked end 20 with Ythe pivot shaft.

From the foregoing description taken .in connection with the accompanying drawing itfwill be readily apparentV that the brake normally inoperative and can be instantly brought into play to check rotation of the* indicator or can be used toy .secure the indicator in any posi-v` tion. n

`What I claim as my invention is:

l. A device for measuring theV angle of inclination of a surface, comprising a supporting means adapted to rest on the surface, an indicator carried by the supporting means and normally lseeking a vertical position, a sleeve member sein` the support, aV projection eX- tended inwardly at the inner end of the sleeve member,- an indicator braking memthe sleeve between the headA end of the sleeve member,

spring confined between the ber having its inner end engageable with the indicator to brake the same and its outer end'passed into the sleeve member, a spring confinedbetween the 4outer end of the braking member and the projection' at the inner and a stop on the braking member adapted to limit the movement of thebraking member under the action of the spring.

2. A device for measuring the angle of inclination of a surface, comprising a supporting means adapted'to rest on thev sur-,

face, an indicator carried by the supporting means and normally seeking a vertical position, asleeve member/secured in 'an opening in the support, a projection extended in wardly at the inner end of thesleeve member, 'an indicatorV braking member having its innerend engageable with the indicator to brakek the same and its outer endvv passed into the sleeve member, a head on the end of the braking member in the sleeve member, a head on the outer end of the braking member and the projection at the inner end of the sleeve member, a projection on the 'braking member adaptedto abut the sleeve member inner end to limit the movement of the braking member under the'force of the spring,and tool receiving means in thesleeve member for facilitating Ythe adjustment of the sleeve member in, and its Withdrawal from, the support. s

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature.

CHARLES A. ELTAG." 

